There have been numerous proposals for securing prosthesis to the human body by implanting fastener elements beneath the skin in the securement region. U.S. Pat. No. 3,694,819, granted Oct. 3, 1972 to G. P. Meyer for "Hairpiece Securing Device" discloses an attachment system in which an anchor piece is surgically embedded in the scalp. U.S. Pat. No. 3,862,453 granted Jan. 28, 1975 to G. E. Widdifield for "Apparatus for Mounting Hair" discloses a hairpiece attachment system in which an anchor is embeded in the scalp with a flange like base positioned beneath the periosteum cover for the skull. U.S. Pat. No. 3,811,425 granted May 21, 1974 to the same inventor for "Method and Apparatus for Mounting Hair" discloses the surgical technique for implanting this anchor.
Securement systems employing implantable anchors such as those disclosed in the Meyer and Widdifield patents generally have not been successful because of two major problems. These are, first, lack of biocompatibility of the implant and second, infection of tissue surrounding the implant. Even the biologically inert materials, such as titanium and pyrolitic graphite, and the supposedly medicinally acceptable materials, such as polyester and silicone, all of which are mentioned in the previously identified patents, usually will be recognized by the body as foreign substances. Even anchors made of biologically compatable materials that are well tolerated by the body when completely buried likely will foster chronic infection and will be extruded when they are partially exposed as they must be to form a component of a securing system for an externally applied prosthesis.
In order to avoid the problems of biocompatibility and infection it has been proposed that the securement system utilize a tunnel formed beneath the surface of the skin and which is lined with a skin graft. Strings or other thin fastener elements are then led through the tunnel and utilized to secure the prosthesis in place. Such attachment elements have proven to be mechanically awkward and virtually impossible to conceal when the prosthesis is not in place. This latter problem is particularly critical for hairpiece wearers who, when electing not to wear the hairpiece prefer not to have unsightly attachment devices protruding from the scalp.
There continues to be a need, therefore, for a method and apparatus for securing the prosthesis to the human body which can be relied upon to provide reliable securement over an extended period of time and which are cosmetically acceptable to the user.